Venezuela has accused Trinidad and Tobago of staging a military provocation in coordination with the United States, alleging an attempt to trigger open conflict in the Caribbean region.
In a statement released on Sunday, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez claimed that ongoing joint military drills involving the US and Trinidad and Tobago are part of a broader intelligence-backed operation to incite a “false-flag” incident near shared maritime borders, reports Reuters.
Caracas said security forces had detained a group of alleged mercenaries who were reportedly carrying information linked to the Central Intelligence Agency and tasked with executing a staged attack to frame Venezuela. The government did not disclose identities or provide supporting evidence for the allegations.
According to the statement, Washington’s intention is to escalate tensions to justify direct confrontation with President Nicolas Maduro’s administration.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump acknowledged he had authorised covert intelligence operations in Venezuela, following years of pressure to unseat Maduro.
Venezuela has made similar claims before, including alleging plans in October to plant explosives at the US Embassy in Caracas. Meanwhile, the Pentagon last week strengthened its naval presence by sending the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group into Caribbean waters, originally described as part of counter-narcotics efforts.
Officials from the US State Department and the CIA did not immediately respond to media inquiries on Sunday.
